Decoding a Hierarchical Multi-Layer Data Package

1. A method of decoding a hierarchical multi-layer data package, the method comprising: an objective function module, implemented by a processor executing instructions stored in a memory, creating an objective function based on parameters for identifying data in the data package most relevant to information of interest, the objective function providing a representation describing a relevance of identified data to the information of interest and an amount of data decompression to find the identified data; parsing, using the processor, a first layer in the hierarchical multi-layer data package to identify any subpackages in the first layer; evaluating, using the processor, the subpackages using the objective function and information from each subpackage; selecting, using the processor, a subpackage based on the evaluation to identify the subpackage most relevant to information of interest; determining, using the processor, whether the selected subpackage satisfies an information need; providing, using the processor, decompressed data for the selected subpackage if the information need is satisfied; identifying, by evaluating, using the processor, one or more subpackages in a next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package using the objective function and information from the one or more subpackages in the next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package, using the processor, a subpackage in the next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package likely to be most relevant to the information of interest if the information need is not satisfied; wherein creating the objective function comprises using device attributes and information associated with the information of interest to create the objective function, and wherein evaluating the subpackages using the objective function comprises using the device attributes and the information associated with the information of interest to evaluate the subpackages and to select a subpackage most relevant to the information of interest.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying, by evaluating, using the processor, one or more subpackages in the next lower layer of the data package comprises: using the objective function to identify the subpackage in the next lower layer.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying, by evaluating, using the processor, one or more subpackages in the next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package comprises: identifying a subpackage in the next lower layer from metadata in the first layer for the subpackage, wherein the subpackage in the next lower layer is related to the selected subpackage in the first layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining whether the next lower layer is a lowest layer in the hierarchical multi-layer data package; and if the information need is not satisfied and the next lower layer is the lowest layer in the hierarchical multi-layer data package, then creating a new objective function for evaluating subpackages in the first layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining whether the next lower layer is a lowest layer in the hierarchical multi-layer data package; and if the information need is not satisfied and the next lower layer is the lowest layer in the hierarchical multi-layer data package, then decompressing data for any previously identified subpackages in higher layers in the hierarchical multi-layer data package or decompressing all the data in the hierarchical multi-layer data package.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein each layer or subpackage in each layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package includes metadata describing the device attributes and information for encoding or decoding data for a subpackage.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the metadata includes encoding or decoding statistics for each subpackage, and evaluating the subpackages comprises: using the encoding or decoding statistics to select the subpackage most relevant to the information of interest.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each subpackage comprises a summary and associated compressed data, wherein the summary describes the associated compressed data.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein determining whether the selected subpackage satisfies an information need comprises using the summary to determine whether the selected subpackage satisfies the information need; and the method further comprises decompressing the associated compressed data if the information need is satisfied.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the objective function represents tradeoffs between at least some of goodness of fit for information in a subpackage being evaluated, device attributes and decompression time of the information in the subpackage being evaluated.

11. A device comprising: a hierarchical decoder decoding a hierarchical multi-layer data package including a plurality of layers and one or more subpackages in each layer, whereby a subpackage in an outer layer is related to a subpackage in an inner layer and each subpackage includes metadata describing its encoding, a summary of a subset of data in the hierarchical multi-layer data package and a link or ID of the subset of data in a compressed form, the hierarchical decoder creating an objective function based on parameters for identifying data in the hierarchical multi-layer data package most relevant to information of interest, the objective function providing a representation describing a relevance of identified data to information of interest and an amount of data decompression to find the identified data and, wherein the decoding includes selecting a subpackage in a layer in the hierarchical multi-data package that is associated to information of interest evaluates evaluating subpackages in one or more layers in the hierarchical multi-layer data package using the objective function to select the selected subpackage; an information manager receiving at least one of the summary for the selected subpackage and the metadata for the subpackage and determines from at least one of the received summary and the metadata whether the selected hierarchical multi-layer data package satisfies an information need or whether to identify one or more other subpackages in one or more lower levels in the hierarchical multi-layer data package, wherein creating the objective function comprises using the device attributes and information associated with the information of interest to create the objective function and wherein evaluating the subpackages using the objective function comprises using the device attributes and the information associated with the information of interest to evaluate the subpackages and to select a subpackage most relevant to the information of interest.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein if the information manager determines that more information is needed, the information manager sends a request to the hierarchical decoder requesting information for other subpackages.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein if the information manager determines that the selected subpackage satisfies the information need, the information manager sends a request to the hierarchical decoder to decompress the subset of data for the subpackage.

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the parameters comprise attributes for the device and other devices that the device communicates with and information identifying the information of interest.

15. A computer program embedded on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the computer program including instructions for performing a method of decoding a hierarchical multi-layer data package, comprising: creating an objective function based on parameters for identifying data in the data package most relevant to information of interest, the objective function providing a representation describing a relevance of identified data to the information of interest and an amount of data decompression to find the identified data; parsing a first layer in the hierarchical multi-layer data package to identify any subpackages in the first layer; evaluating the subpackages using the objective function and information from each subpackage; selecting a subpackage based on the evaluation to identify the subpackage most relevant to information of interest; determining whether the selected subpackage satisfies an information need; providing decompressed data for the subpackage if the information need is satisfied; and identifying, by evaluating one or more subpackages in a next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package using the objective function and information from the one or more subpackages in the next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package, a subpackage in the next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package likely to be most relevant to the information of interest if the information need is not satisfied; wherein creating the objective function comprises using the device attributes and information associated with the information of interest to create the objective function, and wherein evaluating the subpackages using the objective function comprises: using the device attributes and the information associated with the information of interest to evaluate the subpackages and to select a subpackage most relevant to the information of interest.

16. The computer program of claim 15 , wherein identifying, by evaluating one or more subpackages in the next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package using the objective function and information from the one or more subpackages in the next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package, the subpackage in the next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package comprises: using the objective function to identify the subpackage in the next lower layer.

17. The computer program of claim 15 , wherein identifying, by evaluating one or more subpackages in the next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package using the objective function and information from the one or more subpackages in the next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package, the subpackage in the next lower layer of the hierarchical multi-layer data package comprises: identifying the subpackage in the next lower layer from metadata in the first layer for the subpackage, wherein the subpackage in the next lower layer is related to the selected subpackage in the first layer.